Fire Safety

Getting to Know a Firefighter

Name:
Paul Doughty
City, Rank:
Providence Fire Department, Firefighter 1st Class
How long have you been a firefighter?
Seventeen years
Did you always want to be a firefighter?
Yes.
What do you wear to work?
There are two types of uniforms that firefighters wear. One is a uniform made from NOMEX, a material that does not burn. We wear this uniform to do maintenance on the fire trucks, clean the firehouse and perform daily chores. The uniform that we wear to a fire is called the "turnout" gear, which consists of a coat, gloves, pants (called bunker pants) and helmet. All but the helmet and boots is made from NOMEX.
What protects you in the fire?
The heavy turnout gear protects us from smoke and heat. Also, we carry SCBAs (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus). This is the air pack that we wear to help breathe when we have to go into a smoky area.
When you go into a fire do you get very hot?
Yes, sometimes it gets hot but not right away. It is like wearing your winter coat in summer time.
What is your favorite part of your work?
Helping people is one of my favorite parts of my job. The other is the great people you get to work with. You get closer than brothers because you spend so much time together and depend on each other in case of trouble in a fire.
What do you do between fire calls?
There's lots to do between fire calls such as housekeeping, washing gear, making meals, and cleaning fire trucks. These things sometimes aren't too much fun, but they are very important.
What was your most exciting day?
Going to the World Trade Center was an exciting yet sad day for me because of the people we were able to save. Another exciting day was the day I saved a dog. Last year, we were searching the 3rd floor of a tenement house at around 6 a.m. when we heard a noise. Tracking down the source of the noise, we came to a refrigerator with a 3-month-old German Shepard mix whimpering for someone to come save him. We gathered him up and took him outside whereby we put a regular firefighter breathing mask over his face so he would get some oxygen. It seemed as if he only had a few minutes before he would have been in serious danger. He was so glad to be in my arms he licked me. The dog officer came and took him to the pound. I checked on him a couple of days later and no one had claimed him. So I adopted him, and took him home to be mine. That's when I named him Lucky.
What is a fire hydrant? How does it hook up to the fire truck?
A fire hydrant is the water source that is needed to put out a fire. Firefighters remove the cap of the hydrant and attach the hose. Then the water comes out of the hydrant through the hose. 500 to 1500 gallons of water goes through a hydrant every minute. No one should ever play on or with a fire hydrant because you could hurt yourself or break the hydrant. Only firefighters should use fire hydrants.
Why is the fire truck red?
I don't know exactly how the tradition started for a fire truck to be red, but everyone knows that when they see the big red truck that something is on fire somewhere.

Source: National Fire Protection Association

Back | More about fire safety